Carlsbad Chamber hopes to revive Leadership Carlsbad

Class of 2012 to unveil kitchen at Boys & Girls Club

Courtesy of Leadership Carlsbad
Members participate in a class for the Leadership Carlsbad program. The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce is currently accepting applications for the program.

CARLSBAD >> The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce is hoping to revive Leadership Carlsbad.

The program was dormant the past year, but the chamber is taking steps to find applicants.

Leadership Carlsbad is accepting applicants for this year's class.

The program, founded in 1997, serves as a way for new Carlsbad residents to learn about government and leadership in Carlsbad. The programs offers people a chance to interact with local city, county, community and business officials in the area. Classes are held once a month on Fridays.

Traditionally, the program has been a partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and the Carlsbad Rotary Club, but now the program is operating under the Chamber alone.

Courtesy of Leadership Carlsbad
Members of the Leadership Carlsbad program. The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce is currently accepting applications for the program.

The program has been a bright spot for some time, but not enough people registered last year for the program, which forced the program to go dark. Now, local officials are hoping people take advantage of the opportunity.

"We have put it out there and opened it up for applications," said Robert Defer, president of the Chamber of Commerce. "We are just reviving it."

The success of the program continues to impact some local community organizations. In fact, the program should get a boost next week when the Boys and Girls Club of Carlsbad unveils its brand new kitchen to the public. The renovation project was an effort by Leadership Carlsbad's 2012 graduating class. The group decided on a large project as a way to combat childhood obesity in Carlsbad.

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Ashley Walterscheid, a member of the group project, said the kitchen was in poor shape and only equipped to serve pre-packaged, unhealthy foods.

"It wasn't even a functional kitchen," she said.

With a strategic plan, the group spent the last two years obtaining various donations for the project. The group was able to redo plumbing and electricity, put in new cabinets and installed a commercial-grade oven, refrigerator and freezer. The unveiling of the new kitchen is June 13.

Applications for the program can be picked up at the Chamber of Commerce. The deadline for applications is in August, Defer said. Classes are expected to run from September 2014 to May 2015. The cost of the program is $450, with an added $50 application fee.